Counselor Connection

The following scholarships are open to students who applied and been admitted to the respective school(s). These scholarships require the additional step of a separate application. Eligibility criteria vary for each scholarship. Please note the deadlines and contact the school's financial aid office with questions. School counselors or Ms. Emerick in the counseling office may also be able to answer your questions.

UTC Chancellor's, Provost's, Mocs Scholarship applications - due January 10; students applying after this date will only be considered for other endowed scholarships

Walters State Community College - due February 1

MTSU DREAM Scholarship - due February 15

MTSU Foundation and Departmental scholarships - due February 15

ETSU General University Scholarship Application - due March 1

ETSU Midway, Fine and Performing Arts, Honors-in-Discipline and Presidential Honors Community Service scholarships - due March 1

Check out the document below for additional scholarship information!!

On Friday, January 17, FAFSA assistance will be available during school hours in the library for students who have not yet submitted this required financial aid application. Appointments are not needed. Remember that February 1st is the FAFSA deadline to stay eligible for TN Promise. Don't delay!!

Students will need to bring for themselves:

• Social Security Number
• Date of birth
• Copy of 2018 tax return, if filed

Parent(s) will need to provide:

• Date of marriage/re-marriage/divorce/death of spouse - month and year only
• E-mail address
• Social Security Number
• Date of birth
• Tax information for 2018, including tax returns and W-2 forms

The Ned McWherter Scholars Program is intended to encourage academically superior Tennessee high school graduates to attend college in Tennessee. Tennessee high school seniors starting their last semester in high school may apply. The renewable award is $6,000 per academic year, $3,000 from the State of Tennessee and $3,000 from the college or university attended.

To be eligible, the applicant must:

• be a resident of Tennessee, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and attend an eligible Tennessee college or university full time, and
• have at least a 3.5 unweighted cumulative grade point average, and
• have a minimum composite score of 29 on the ACT (or concordant equivalent score on the SAT).

An applicant may receive extra credit for honors or Advanced Placement courses and leadership in extracurricular activities while in high school.

An application, in order to be considered complete, must be accompanied by:

• an official high school transcript that contains the applicant’s high school grades through the first semester of the senior year, and
• an official ACT/SAT score.

Applications are available through the student's TSAC Student Portal . Awards are very competitive and are based on limited funding. TSAC must receive the completed application and required attachments by February 15.

Hamblen County high school students are extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to gain paid work experience during the summer of 2020 through the CTE Student Internship program. There are a wide variety of choices in multiple career fields. Students can select all positions in which they are interested in applying. (Please note that options for freshmen and sophomores are limited).

Click here to apply! The internship application will close March 31, 2020.

In the next couple of weeks, counselors will be meeting with students who are required to complete credit recovery for classes that they did not pass in the fall. Paperwork will be sent home for parents/guardians to sign with information about credit recovery dates and times. Students and parents may contact the counseling office with questions.

These activities can be used to help fulfill the TN Promise requirement for 8 hours of community service. Any hours students complete must be registered on-line with TN Promise.

• Check the TN Promise website regularly for opportunities - you can filter by county https://tnachieves.org/community-service/east-tennessee/
  
• Check the bulletin board outside of the Counseling Office for additional local opportunities

The 2020-2021 Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open for completion! Students must complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov by 11:59 PM on February 1, 2020 for TN Promise eligibility. Please click here for the documents and information students need in order to successfully file FAFSA.

If you need help completing the FAFSA, please contact the Counseling Office at 423-581-1600 to schedule an appointment.

Another resource for help is the Educational Opportunity Center. Please call them at 423-319-6940 or 423-748-4635 to schedule an appointment.

Seniors will apply in their TNN classes and upload their supporting documents through the on-line application portal, found here. Students who successfully complete the application process will earn cords to wear during the graduation ceremony. The deadline for meeting requirements and submitting completed applications is April 15, 2020. Please click here to view the Tennessee Work Ethic Diploma standards.

The Work Ethic Diploma was first offered in the 2015-16 school year as part of a LEAP (Labor Education Alignment Program) grant. The standards that students are required to meet to earn the Work Ethic Diploma reflect the skills and characteristics that are needed for students to be college and career ready. More than 30 Lakeway region businesses and industries guarantee an interview to students who have earned the Work Ethic Diploma and who meet other job-related qualifications.

The AP experience will largely remain the same but there are a few administrative changes that will go into effect in the 19-20 school year:

· Starting in the 19-20 school year, for AP classes that start in the fall, exams will be ordered in the fall. This process will be through the student’s CollegeBoard portal and the AP teacher.

· All AP exams will be given in May 2020.

· The cost of the exams will be $94.00. There will be a price reduction for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. The reduced price will be announced from the state in the near future.

· Payments can be made by check paid to West High or online with the My Payments Plus account.

There will not be a paper registration form this year.

· If you have any questions, please contact the Counseling Office.

January 28th-February 28th for Spring AP Tests/Courses

Art

Biology

Chemistry

Environmental Science

Government

Human Geography

Literature

Macroeconomics

Psychology

Statistics

World History

January 17: FAFSA assistance in the library during school hours (no appointment needed)

January 23: 3:30 PM-5:50 PM FAFSA assistance in the counseling office (no appointment needed)

January 24: Who's Who applications due

February 1: Complete FAFSA to ensure Tennessee Student Assistance Grant availability (based on income) and TN Promise eligibility

March 4: Mandatory TN Promise meeting at 5:30PM at West High cafeteria (arrive by 5:00)

March 17: ACT for all Juniors

April 15: Deadline to submit Work Ethic Diploma Requirements

April 15: Deadline to submit Tennessee Scholars Applications

Nov. 2, 2019 - July 1, 2020 - complete and report 8 hours of community service (must report on-line) (Please note that students may only use community service hours performed between these dates.)

These events require registration. Please click on the hyperlinked college/university name to register.

Carson Newman University

February 22 Showcase Saturday

March 24 Eagle Experience

April 7 Eagle Experience

East Tennessee State University

March 7

March 28

King University

February 29

March 21

Middle Tennessee State University

February 22 True Blue Preview

March 21 True Blue Preview

Register on-line at www.act.org.

West High ACT Code 431-587 (Where your scores are sent)

West High Test Center Code 193810 (Where you take the test)

Upcoming Exam Dates

*February 8, 2020 - registration deadline is January 10 (January 17 for late registration)

*April 4, 2020 - registration deadline is February 28 (March 13 for late registration)

June 13, 2020 - registration deadline is May 8 (May 22 for late registration)

July 18, 2020 - registration deadline is June 19 (June 26 for late registration)

Please visit www.act.org for information about late registration and photo upload deadlines.

*The test will be administered at Morristown West High School on these dates

Students will not be admitted to the test center without an admission ticket.

To register and to check for late registration information, visit collegeboard.org/sat/register.

March 14, 2020 - registration deadline February 14 (March 3 for late registration)

May 2, 2020 - registration deadline April 3 (April 21 for late registration)

June 6, 2020 - registration deadline May 8 (May 27 for late registration)

Applications for the following Duke University Summer Session 2020 programs are now open.

• Summer College for High School Students – US Students
• Summer College for High School Students – International Students
• Summer Academy for High School Students
• Accelerated STEM Academy

Applications are reviewed as they are received. (Please note-there are costs associated with all of these programs, including application fees. Visit https://summersession.duke.edu for more information).

Students are assigned by the first letter of their last name.

• Tonya Ely: Students A-E
  

• Erica Gillett: Students F-L

• Renae Byrd: Students M-R

• Melanie Justis: Students S-Z

• Aimee Howerton: Counseling Office Secretary

• Office Contact Information:

Phone- 423-581-1600
Fax- 423-585-3791

Emily Emerick is our Niswonger CARE Advisor for the 2019-2020 school year. She will be in the counseling office on Thursdays and Fridays from 8:00a.m. – 3:00p.m. Emily helps with questions regarding scholarships, college applications, TN promise, FASFA, ACT, or any other college needs! You can contact her at eemerick@niswongerfoundation.org.